Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies are fueling a manufacturing revival by accelerating construction activity and encouraging investment in U.S. factories.
Trump Policies Fuel Manufacturing Boom
On Saturday, Bessent said on X that Trump is “creating the conditions for a manufacturing boom,” while claiming construction jobs across factory and related sectors were growing “10x faster than under Biden.”
He added, “Our America First pro-growth policies are creating the conditions for greater investment, stronger supply chains, and more opportunities for wage growth.”
He argued that the increase in construction activity would support broader manufacturing growth, adding, “This construction renaissance will continue to drive our manufacturing renaissance.”
America First Debate
Earlier, Trump urged federal agencies to prioritize American-made products and reduce reliance on foreign goods, declaring, “ALL FEDERAL AGENCIES MUST BUY AMERICAN — NO EXCUSES!”
He also called for action against misleading “Made in America” labels, saying, “AMERICA FIRST means BUY AMERICAN!”
Former Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) accused Trump of abandoning “America First” for “Iran First,” criticizing his handling of the U.S.-Iran conflict and alleged concessions to Tehran.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also questioned whether Trump’s foreign policy reflected the “America First” principle, asking, “America first? Really?”
Manufacturing Jobs Under Pressure
Wall Street financier Steve Rattner said most U.S. job growth during Trump’s second term had come from health care and education, while manufacturing had lost more than 100,000 jobs despite Trump’s tariff policies.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data shared by Rattner, education and health services had added about 1.1 million jobs between November 2024 and June 2026, while manufacturing payrolls had declined by about 113,000 jobs.
Rattner said, “Despite promises to re-shore industry through tariffs, over 100,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost.”
Meanwhile, investor Anthony Pompliano said a “manufacturing boom” was underway, while The Kobeissi Letter warned that stagflation pressures may have been building, fueling debate over the strength of the U.S. economy.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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